Breaking Ties Outtakes
by EclipsedbyJacob
Summary: Three part outtake from Breaking Ties.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Twilight.**

**The following chapters are an outtake from Breaking Ties. To add them in at this point would somewhat squelch the momentum I had going and they just didn't fit in at the point I was. However, I spent a lot of energy on these, so here you go...**

**Oh, and these are dedicated to Hollins over at Twilighted. She actually inspired me to take it to Jake's perspective...even though she really has no idea she's the reason these came about. But thanks Hollins!  
**

**Jakob POV**

I was pacing back and forth, wearing a path in the thick undergrowth. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness with each heavy thud of my bare foot. I couldn't understand what was taking them so long. Usually, they were punctual and looked relieved that time had passed again.

"There is something going on up there," I insisted, but more to myself than anyone else. The rest of them simply hated based on generations of superstition and fanciful legend.

"There always has been," Sam reminded me in the flat tone he always used.

Among my brothers, Sam had been the most open to communicating with the new bloodsuckers, but I still wasn't sure just what he thought. He remained guarded with his opinions while the others flung them at me left and right. The rest of my pack were anything but thrilled to have the Cullens near our land and hadn't hesitated in letting me know.

And my brothers were getting nervous. Nervous and antsy, which was not a good combination in relatively young wolves. In spite the traitorous legacy of my family name, I had to manage my compulsory brethren. It was my place in our tribe.

Being more mature in both years and phasing, Sam's place was at my side, a constant advisor and mentor. For the time being, he and Seth were the only ones not ostracizing me, so he was as good as I had though what I desired was Leah's straight forward perspective, but she was the one provoking the anger in the others, so her help wouldn't be forthcoming. Thinking of her nonstop tirade made the hair on my arms bristle. I'd have to deal with her when I got back.

"What do you think it means?" I wondered, aloud again for the benefit of Sam. We were only privy to each other's minds when in wolf form.

He cleared his baritone voice. In semblance to his canine heritage, it sounded more like a growl, but there was no malice behind it. "If you consider all the factors at play here, I think we need to tread lightly with regard to all vampires."

He was right, of course, and I knew this.

Fact one: the pack had been silent for a hundred years. Two years ago, it burst back from fireside legend and into reality.

Fact two: there had been several vampires around the castle over the last six months, which was an unheard of number of bloodsucking visitors.

Fact three: this tribe had never seen a pack the size as my band of brothers. The most wolves that had ever populated this area were a measly five. That had been just before the Draculs' fall from power. Those had been dark and desperate times, and that didn't bode well for what was coming. My pack had reached enormous of proportions. Sam was the first to change, and nine others had followed, myself included. The elders were at a loss as to why it was happening now, after so many years of quiet.

Then, the Draculs emerged after five hundred years of hiding. They were but two bloodsuckers amidst a race of thousands, but I believe their materialization after so many centuries was the trigger of our genetics.

"I still don't think we have anything to fear from the Cullens," I finally said, recalling the strange glow of their golden eyes. The blonde, Carlisle, was so interested in everything, but I never felt he meant more than genuine curiosity. I guess I'd call him a scholar. I liked him the instant I laid eyes on him, despite my instincts screaming for attack.

The other male and female, Alice and Edward, were something of a sight themselves. Edward was as cordial as Carlisle, though he shifted through our thoughts relentlessly. That had the tendency to make everyone nervous. Little Alice was an emotional wreck most of the time I'd seen her. Only on their last visit had she finally confessed with that mysterious headaches that had been ailing her disappeared when she was with us. She's smiled for the first time, and it was brilliant. It made me feel lighter just for having seen it.

"They are what they are." He had this way of raining on my parade…

I stopped pacing and eyed my beta. "Don't try to get philosophical on me," I snapped back. Sam didn't flinch. "You and I both can see the ways they are different. Not just their eyes, but their minds. They are more comfortable with us than at the castle. That accounts for something."

At least, I thought it did. Sam liked to play mediator so the entire pack felt like they had a say in the decisions. But it didn't really matter and they knew it. I was Alpha.

"Just because they don't want to be there doesn't make them our allies, Jakob." He still sat patiently on his perch, watching me stoically.

"It sure as hell doesn't make them our enemies either," I huffed and started pacing again.

I wished the Cullens would get here. I'd convinced Sam to meet with them finally, and he'd even agreed to stay human. It was a bode of confidence to the rest of them. We all looked to Sam for guidance.

Sam left me to my thoughts, deciding to watch my progress across the small span of earth I was wearing down. I was starting to get an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach. We'd said two. Here it was almost three o'clock, and not one of them had arrived. They would have told me if they'd be leaving the country early.

"Maybe there was an emergency," Sam offered.

We both knew how weak that was. He was simply trying to pacify me. I wanted to let him, but I couldn't shake that queasy ache, so I kept walking. They would come.

Sometime later, a snapping limb sounded from the East. Sam and I tilted our heads at the same angle to zero in on the noise. We waited, breath trapped in our lungs, to hear it again. Seconds rolled on, but there was nothing. In tandem we relaxed from our positions.

Then, a howl echoed through the trees, and I split myself from my body half and instant before Sam. With an ease and motion only allowed in this form, I sped through the thick forests, heading to the call of my brother. The thoughts of the rest of the pack flooded into me as I sped east.

The younger boys, Collin and Brady were patrolling the village perimeter, already alerted of the situation I was heading toward. The rest of my pack was three miles from my location. They were grouped in circle around a cowering and sobbing Alice.

_Stop! _ I roared at them. _Don't you touch her!_

The five wolves barely paid attention to my command. They continued taunting Alice with snarling jaws and splashing spit all over her delicate body. She looked scared, resolved, wrecked. I could see through my brothers' eyes she was a ruin of her former self. And they viciously mocked her evident pain. It was too much for me. These were friends.

_She was too close to the village, _snarled Paul. He dug his front claw into the ground, as if intending to pounce. I noticed the tiny vampire was trembling slightly.

_Look at her! _I commanded them. _Is this a threat?_

_She told us herself she has a gift! _

_She could be here to destroy our families!_

_All bloodsuckers should die!_

The chanting mind of the pack echoed in my thoughts. I let my frustration manifest in a piercing howl, much stronger than I'd ever used before. None could deny the command, and I nodded as each took half a step away from the quaking vampire. A few dropped their heads.

I was on them after three more bounding strides, and the other sets of canine eyes dropped to the ground. None of them was ashamed. They'd have ripped her throat if I hadn't used all my authority to bind them from doing so. Their thoughts were laced with venom but they stepped back with the others. Sam hesitated with my brothers so I alone walked toward the girl vampire.

She was on her side arms clenching her knees. Dirt streaked her face and the tiny array of black spiked hair was matted with stray leaves trapped between. She was mumbling incoherently. I didn't know her well, but I knew enough about women to understand that what I saw cowering before me was not a threat.

I snarled at the mob mentality I'd seen through their eyes. How dare they?

With a forced tremor, I let my body shudder through my bones, constrict my muscles, and form back into my human self. I turned to Paul and ripped the shorts tethered to his paw and threw them on while casting him a glare that caused him to turn away. He hadn't heard the end of this.

Pants properly in place I turned back to Alice. She hadn't stopped her mindless rambling and hardly seemed to notice I was towering above her at all. Compassion flooded through me and I bent down low.

Her eyes, a darkened shade of gold, peered mistily at me. Her bottom lip quivered but she stayed still and silent. Nothing but a small gleam of recognition flashed in those wide eyes.

It wasn't easy to keep myself calm. Her lack of reaction was making me more uneasy than I had been back at the meadow. The tiny vampire began shaking her head. Her eyes seemed to lose their luster as she did. Then, the life poured back into them and she met my stare again.

I found myself reaching forward and placing my hand on her bare shoulder. The shock of dark skin and pale, hot meets cold, burned the tips of my feverish fingers, but I resisted the urge to pull away. Some of my brothers couldn't contain their disgust at the action but I was glad to see them turn away and slink into the trees. There would be hell to pay for what had almost happened earlier, but it would have to wait.

I was rolling over my revelation that I'd been right in thinking something was wrong at the castle. Alice looked like she barely survived the trip down the mountain. I was grappling with the inner desire to rush up there and finish the nightmare once and for all. But I knew haste wouldn't get me the end I desired. I still had no idea what was happening, and I needed the support of every wolf.

Carlisle and Edward weren't going to show. Realizing that, I made a quick decision and swept her into my arms. She was astonishingly heavy for someone so small, but with no further thought, I turned and headed for home. Now, not only would Paul be paying for his insubordination, I would be paying for mine. There was no way the Elders, my brothers, or Leah would be happy about this.

She heard me coming as I trudged up the drive. It would have been hard not to, with the entourage and all. I heard the sound of the drapes swish as she cast an angry stare toward us. It was followed by the angry thud of her feet against the floorboards. Unlike the dainty girl in my arms (who incidentally weighed as much as I did in wolf form) my wife was the very opposite of delicate.

The door flung open and her black eyes blazed into mine. Hands angled firmly on her soft hips were enough of a sign for my brothers to slide into the background. Leah was my battle to fight.

"Jakob! How can you bring that here?" She demanded with a vicious swipe of her hand.

"Something's happened," I explained. "The others didn't show up for our meeting."

"Why did you do this?" The shrill tenor of her voice rose slightly. I knew from past experience she was only getting started.

I plastered a wide smile on my face and laid Alice gently on the spot of grass we had out front. She stayed completely silent and watched Leah closely.

"Look at her," I gestured, my own eyes steady on my wife's. She turned her gaze to Alice. "What are you afraid of?"

"She's a vampire, Jake. What else do you expect me to see?"

I ignored the condescending tone. It was her nature to be combative. She worked hard to prove herself capable at everything. Being the first woman to inherit the werewolf gene in history, she'd worked even harder not to be shunted to the side based on gender. Which was really just ridiculous. A woman like Leah could never be put on the sidelines. She was just too passionate, while not being completely unreasonable. That was the part of the silken haired vixen I had to appeal to.

I took a step forward, but Leah only glared harder. Her foot began tapping quickly.

"She isn't the reason we're like this," I cooed. "Alice means no harm to anyone here."

Leah inhaled sharply. "You think I can just overlook that she is _exactly _the reason my hair stands on end? How can we bring her into our home?"

"It's only temporary." My impatience was growing, but I held it in as best I could. I may be her alpha, but she was my wife. "Now, I just need to get her inside before the neighbors start nosing around."

"You really think you can hide her after parading her through town?" There was still an edge to her voice, but she rolled her eyes, which was always a good sign.

I winked, then picked up Alice again. "Just looking out for the family name, sweetheart."

She remained quiet, catching my jibe at my own ancestry, and followed in behind me, almond shaped eyes narrowed into thin slits.

"It's going to smell for weeks," she muttered.

I hid the smirk, but I knew she was right. We might never get the smell out.

I lay Alice on the bed in the guest room at the back of the house. Sometimes one of the guys crashed there, so I wasn't worried about any lingering essences. They could deal with that in payment of using our bed for the night.

She looked over at Leah, her face still drawn and tense. She was listening now. I could tell she'd snapped out of the delirium of earlier. The boys had probably caused it in the first place, so I was actually lucky she didn't start freaking out inside the house. Instead she pulled herself up the elbows, glaring at me and never even looking toward Leah where she hesitated in the doorway.

When the awkwardness became too much I made to open my mouth, but Alice finally spoke.

"You never told me you were married," she accused.

I was a bit caught off guard by her statement but before I had a chance to say anything, she grabbed my left hand with a swift movement. Her fingers pressed coolly against my skin while she studied it.

"You don't wear a ring," she noted, letting my hand fall away.

My smile slid into place. "Occupational hazard."

She almost cracked a smile. Leah moved forward with light steps unlike the angry ones of earlier. She was curious.

Not wanting a repeat of the earlier scene, I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at Leah.

"Leah, this is Alice Cullen," I told her. "And, Alice, this is my wife, Leah."

The two women looked at each other. Neither spoke, but there wasn't any outright hostility either. It could be a lot worse. They sensed that, too.

The awkward pause lingered for a moment. But, there was no escaping the undeniable. I glanced an apologetic look to Alice before starting. The sooner I found out what was going on, the sooner I could plan.

I cleared my throat just as Seth knocked at the front door, his scent swirling through the open windows. Leah excused herself to head him off. In spite of her mistrust of vampires, she trusted me, and was giving me the opportunity to find out what I needed to know.

"What happened?" I asked the spikey-haired vampire who was sitting in my guest bedroom.

"They left me alone," she whispered like saying it quietly would make it not have happened.

"What do you think happened to them?" I felt like I was repeating myself, but she seemed unwilling to grip what was going on and the severity of the situation.

"I think something bad," she admitted as a shiver trembled through her tiny frame.

She attempted to smile again, but it was weak and forced. It looked like it took all her strength just to turn the corners of her lips. When she spoke again, her voice quivered with emotions to close to human to be mistaken.

"Can I use your phone?"

Of course, she would have someone she needed to call. I got the feeling Alice was operating solo when it wasn't her style, so to speak. She definitely struck me as missing a vital element.

Just then, Leah raced back into the room, her face glowing slightly with distress. Seth hovered behind her, not wanting to upset Alice any further than what the rest of the pack had done earlier. I was grateful, but my only interest was in the look of near panic that flashed through the eyes of my wife.

"They've called a tribal council, Jakob. They want an explanation." She was trying hard to hide the worry, but it was plain in her face.

I jumped to my feet. This just got more serious than I intended. I wasn't sure what I was thinking when I brought Alice into the village, but I couldn't just leave her there. The Cullens had their own ideals, their own morals that basically equaled that of our humanity. And did we not hunt animals? The only difference between us and the Cullens on a logical level was their hearts no longer filled with blood. Instead, they carried the poison of their disease with the reverence of a curse. It was strength to overcome that affliction that I had been drawn to right away. It helped to solidify my own ideals that there is good in this world.

But on a physical level, they were still what bred us into our own brand of monsters. They are the reason we burst into ferocious and feral wolves, despite what I had said to convince Leah otherwise. They _were _vampires. There was nothing I would be able to say to deny that. I just hoped I could sway the Elders to understanding.

So steeped in legends of our past, I knew my chances were slight. But, at that point, I had no choice. If I refused to stand witness at the council, I'd be shunted from by my pack and my "brothers" would likely rip me apart for my complete insubordination against tribal law.

Both Leah and Seth understood the gravity of the next hour of my life, but they allowed me those few minutes to roll it over in my head. I looked over at my wife, her eyes soft and worried.

I walked to her and touched her arm lightly. "Stay here. I'll be back in an hour," I whispered, and placed a gentle kiss on the forgiving flesh of her cheek.

With apprehensive eyes, Leah watched as I walked past her and out of the house, barely noticing Seth following behind. I didn't bother phasing. Town Hall was close and the worst I could do had already been done. It wouldn't hurt them to wait a bit longer.

Seth fell into stride beside me, his youthful gait both springy and excited. Next to Sam, I could count on Seth and that wasn't just because he was Leah's brother and mine inherited by marriage. It was because the kid just couldn't help but be as passionate and as full of life as his sister. The difference between them was where Leah was forever casting out cynicism, Seth was the epitome of optimism, seeing the good in everything. He was quite comforting to have around on an off day.

And this was turning out to be as off as they come.

We made our way up the steps to the front of the building that housed our most important meetings. The wood was old, but had been whitewashed last summer so looked cheerful amidst the rest of the buildings here. But the falseness it offered was enough to raise the hair on my arms as I stepped inside.

With three large steps, I crossed the entry way and to the door of the council hall. I could hear the murmuring of the pack and Elders inside. The animosity was evident in the gravelly sounds. I didn't pause to see if Seth would follow me in. I pushed open the door, letting it snap wide with force and slam into the wall behind it. The sound carried throughout the room and drew all eyes to me. I took a second to look into each pair. Fourteen pairs peered back at me, most with outright disdain seething through cold glares. I swallowed hard and stepped into the middle of the room, still eyeing each of my brothers. Paul looked smug from his place in the back, and I secretly hoped he enjoyed the position. He was going to spend much more time at the end of things after the shit he pulled today.

I squared my shoulders and let them look, because the man they saw in front of them was the Alpha, and I wasn't going to stand aside and let someone else take my place. This was my birthright, my destiny, and I'll be damned if I let their ghost stories take it away.


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own Twilight.**

**Jakob POV**

I am a proud man, descended from a long legacy of shape shifters. I am a direct ancestor of Taha Aki, the original spirit warrior. I did not ask for this to fall on my shoulders. My father, much braver and infinitely stronger than I could dare hope to be, never had this kind of pressure placed on him, though he wished for it his entire life. But it fell to me. I never tried to shirk from my responsibility. My destiny was to lead the men of my tribe, to keep them safe and protected. My duty was to keep the valley free from the plagues that threatened them. I understood this was something I was born into for my people, but it did nothing to lessen my horror at leaving the rest of the earth unprotected from the taint of the undead. When I thought of Alice and her family, I was filled with hope. They helped me to realize that their very nature could be changed for the better, and I wanted all my people to understand that. The Cullens were not our enemies.

Our enemy waited on top of the mountain.

I walked into the council room intending on telling them all what I knew. The Cullens would be our friends, as they were the friends of other wolf packs around the world. They could be the thing that would give us advantage over the true threats, something we'd never had before.

In ages gone by, my people only had to look out for themselves. The world was an enormous place, and the kin of our family had only to keep predators from this valley. That kind of narrow sightedness was acceptable in days gone by, but I could not afford it now. If there was any way to come out of the impending battle, we would have to skew our view of the outside world. We would have to come out of our sheltered village lives and look at the picture as a whole.

Alone, even with a pack of our size, we would not be able to do anything more than keep the foulness from tainting our lands, just as we had done for thousands of years. But, if we could infuse our might with the power of others, we stood the chance to finish this once and for all. If we banded with those who shared the common interest in eradicating the world of poison like the Tepes brothers, then it could finally end.

Twenty men stood before me, eyeing me warily. Some wore their distaste outright, but others hid it behind their steely glares. In this form, I couldn't tell what thoughts flickered through the minds of my brothers, but I could plainly see that most of them had made up their minds already. My hope wavered a bit, but I clung tightly. There had to be a chance to make them see. If I couldn't, we would be no better than the men on that mountain. We would not be the cause of the death, but we would stand aside and watch it tear apart other villages, other families. It did not make it better to do nothing as the rest of the world suffered for our bigotry. I had to make them see before it was too late.

Quil Aterra stood from his spot at the center of the room. His ancient body moved shakily, unsteady from so many years of work and toil. His white hair was long and thin, but his sharp eyes were that of a warrior. I respected the man like a father. I held his opinions in the utmost esteem, so as much as I wanted to speak, to tell each man present that our duties had shifted, I waited for him to speak first.

His voice was rough and grainy. Never a werewolf himself, he still had the gene present in him, and it sparked inside him as he stood before me.

"Jakob Black, you stand accused of breaking tribal law. What say you against these charges?"

"I'm on trial?" I asked, showing more of my shock than I would have liked.

"No, son," Old Quil answered, voice softening a bit.

"You should be."

My eyes fell on Paul who looked smug from his position next to Sam. This explained much more. Paul, the pack's loose cannon, had turned me in. I knew he harbored a bit of ill feelings toward me, but I had never expected this kind of betrayal from one of my own. I glared at him.

"We would only like an explanation for what you have done," Quil was going on, unaware of the animosity building between my brothers.

I turned back to the Elders, my father among them. I tried not to notice the cool way he was watching me and spoke directly to Quil when I spoke again.

"I have broken no laws."

"So you will deny in front of God and family that you brought a leech into this village?" Paul shot angrily. "You deny sharing our secrets with their coven?"

I didn't bother to look at him when I answered. I would explain nothing to Paul, except why I was going to kick his ass, but this was for the Elders. This was for my father.

"No, I do not deny those things," I admitted.

It was my father's voice that spoke next. He didn't even rise from his seat.

"Then, how can you claim innocence?" His voice was like ice, spearing into me. He didn't bother to hide the failure from his face.

"Am I on trial?" I asked again because it was becoming more evident that they were out to flay me.

"Not yet," Paul mumbled.

I turned my eyes back to him, the threat resting plainly on my face.

"Paul, please," old Quil chided softly, then he spoke to me, drawing my eyes away from the betrayer. "No, Jakob, but you must realize the position you have put on this community. You have brought in the very thing we have tried to protect ourselves for generations. It goes against our very nature, let alone the tribal sanctions. Why would you do this?"

"She isn't dangerous," I pleaded for them to understand. It was something so obvious to me. Why didn't they see?

Ever the hothead, Paul's voice was the first to react. "Not dangerous!" He shouted, the yell bounding off the walls of the small room. "She's a fucking leech and you see no danger?"

Paul turned to look at the others. "Do you see what we have leading us? A leech-lover! How could we have expected differently? He shares more than heritage with his grandfather."

Everyone erupted into a low murmur, as shocked as I was over Paul's brazen accusation. But my surprise faded quickly, taken over by anger. A deep growl sounded from my chest. I knew it wasn't the time, so I balled my fists at my sides, letting my nails dig into my palms, so I wouldn't be tempted to phase in the middle of them.

It was my father who finally spoke again. "You must admit the similarities are apparent," he said. He may just have well punched me in the face.

"Similar how?" I shot back at him. This was his legacy he was talking about too. It was not just mine. As my father, he had passed the traitorous name to me. "Alice is nothing like the monsters of the castle, and I am nothing like Ephraim."

"Look how he calls her name as if she was a friend!" Paul was quick to point out. What the hell was his fucking problem? I was beginning to think that a mere ass whooping wouldn't be nearly enough for him. "You would choose a bloodsucking fiend over your own people. How can we follow a leader that is more interested in a cute piece of ass than the welfare of his tribe?"

"I'm fucking married, Paul." I lost it at that point. How dare he even insinuate something like that? With restraint I hadn't even been aware I was capable, I turned back to the center of the room, avoiding the eyes of my father, and looked back at Quil.

"These are a different breed," I told him, pushing my voice low, desperately trying to hang onto my anger before it ripped out in werewolf form. "They are not like anything this tribe has encountered before."

I turned left to find Embry standing near the far wall. He was nervously bouncing from foot to foot, trying to remain out of the entire thing, but I needed his voice now.

"Tell them, Embry," I said. "You've been there for the meetings. Tell them about the Cullens." Help me make them see, I added silently.

Embry looked from me, to the elders and lastly to Paul. He cleared his throat as a blush of embarrassment rose from the collar of his shirt. He didn't want to be involved, but it was too late for that. I needed my pack behind me, and if I couldn't get them all, then I'd take what I could.

"They do have an unnatural eye color," he admitted somewhat hesitantly.

"Because they do not feed from humans," I elaborated.

"And the blonde was very smart," Embry went on, but this time Paul interrupted.

"All vampires are intellectual. They spend their whole existences retaining knowledge. That proves nothing."

"Carlisle uses his intelligence to gain knowledge," I conceded. "But he doesn't use it for anything other than to satisfy his own curiosity. They are not like others of their kind. They truly strive to be more than what they are. We have nothing to fear from them. They have as much at stake here as we do."

"He's crazy!" Paul shouted. "We live in the shadow of the monsters. We have spent entire lifetimes, lost complete packs of warriors to those bloodsuckers, and you defend one now.

"They _are_ the monsters," he emphasized each word with a fist pounding into the palm of his other hand. He began walking to the center of the room.

"Ephraim chose to turn his back on his own people rather than fight," Paul went on, hate dripping from his voice like venom. "He chose to bow before Tepes, and let them destroy the village." He kept walking forward, black eyes trained on mine and gleaming with self-imposed importance.

"Now, Jakob Black," he said when his face was inches from mine. A smile settled over it. "We watch you do the same."

I might have been most in control of myself as compared with my brethren, but it didn't matter. Instinct took over, and while I stayed in human form, my fist pulled back and slammed into Paul's nose, connecting with a satisfying crack.

Paul bent low, hands holding his face, but it didn't stop the crimson blood from spilling through his fingers and down his arms. It felt good, but it wasn't the time to smile. My pack brothers were on the balls of their feet, fighting with themselves to intervene. The Elders, my father included, all stood with the same look of shock duplicated on each of their tired and weathered faces.

"Fuck you," Paul whimpered from behind his hands. To my satisfaction, he sounded like he had one nasty head cold, or one very impaired nose. "May you rot in hell alongside Ephraim for eternity. I will never bow before a traitor." He turned and walked from the room, leaving a deafening silence in his wake.

But I was the Alpha. I was the chief. I wasn't about to let them tell me I was wrong, when I understood how right I was.

"I will never turn away from my people," I told them, my voice taking on the tone of Alpha effortlessly. "The Cullens are our allies, and will remain so until this has been settled once and for all. We don't stand a chance going into this alone."

"You sound like you expect a battle," my father scoffed.

I drew myself up to my full height, narrowing my eyes at him. "Oh, I do expect a battle," I told him. "I won't pretend that I can save everyone, but with the help of the Cullens, I can make sure that the name Tepes will be forgotten for good. I will put an end to the madness once and for all, so no one will have to fear the name again.

"_That_ is my duty."

I turned and walked out the door without looking back. The silence followed, erupting as soon as the door latched behind me. But I didn't care. I was already sprinting for home.

I was calling to Leah as I pushed open the door. She appeared in the hallway, a look of surprise crossing her face.

"Jake, what's wrong?" she asked as I hurried to her. My hands found her waist, fitting perfectly against her soft curves.

I sighed. "I think we're going to have to head out of town for a few days."

Leah's face didn't register any emotion as she said, "They brought up Ephraim, didn't they?"

I nodded. Yes, they had brought up that traitor I was descended from. Yes, they had accused me of being just like him. Yes, I felt betrayed, mostly by my own father. And yes to a million other questions that she wanted answered with her single remark. I didn't have the heart to endure any more. I'd gone through almost my whole life blocking my ancestry, and it did no one good to think about it now.

"I think we'll need to head into the forest until this sparks." I paused and looked over my wife's shoulder and at the anxious vampire in my backroom. It was too ironic the way my life had flipped. This was seriously not the direction I saw myself taking.

But I had to deal as I was dealt. And believe me when I say it's coming like a freight train.

I could tell little Alice agreed with that sentiment, but looked otherwise lost. She seemed even more childlike than I'd ever seen her, despite the terrified condition she had been in while still with the Cullens. Now, she was much more distraught. It reaffirmed the idea that I was doing the right thing. I would not regret it.

Leah had shot a glance at Alice as well. Her eyes had softened, if somewhat slightly. It seemed they'd had their own moments while I was at the council. At least Leah didn't look ready to rip her throat out. Not only too messy for inside the house, it wouldn't have looked well on my part having just defended the vampire, only to had my wife kill her in my stead. Luckily, my wife, though being hard headed and stubborn, listened when it came to reason, and had listened long enough to take a different standpoint about this certain spikey haired girl. In a perfect world, I would allow each of my brothers to see this girl for who she was, not what. But this was far from a perfect place, and the timing was horrible.

I suspected Paul would be back in the council hall, demanding the tribe take action against me. I wondered who would follow me. I could feel the split forming already. It was suddenly so thick I could feel it. Would any of my brothers follow their true alpha?

Even if all this would prove for nothing, there was no time to think of the ramifications set in motion. I wondered how I could even know the rift was about to form. Each little connection of my bands linking to my brothers was weakened. Some had snapped already, but not all. But eve those remained stretched to the limit of their connection and until we were all in wolf form, I didn't know who would follow.

I looked at my wife again with the weariness I felt. "We knew this might be a possible outcome," I reminded her of a conversation that seemed like a million years ago. When we'd thought of it, we'd just been speaking hypothetically. We never thought it could go this far.

Leah was my mate, behind me no matter what. She already spun past me to gather a few things for our escape, and I stepped into the room, ignoring the sweet sting of Alice's scent that assaulted my nostrils as I inhaled.

"What happened?" she asked, eyes wide and fearful. After what happened with my pack earlier, she had right to be afraid.

"The council doesn't matter to you," I tried to soothe. "What matters is finding out what happened to Carlisle and Edward and getting you somewhere safe."

"There isn't anywhere safe!" she cried out, jumping quickly to her feet. "Don't you see? He can find us anywhere!"

Alice seemed borderline hysterical. I put my hands on her thin shoulders. "Do you see something?" I asked, looking into her wild, golden eyes. I forced her to look back.

"I can't see, I just know." She mumbled, then repeated it, as if cementing it to her mind. "I can't see, I just know."

Then, she shook her head. "I need to use your phone."

She didn't get a response from whomever it was she was trying to reach, but there was no more time to waste. I could feel the split coming, and knew we had to get out of the village. I hoped this was temporary, but Paul's maddened state had fueled the others' insecurities. That kind of ingrained fervor could easily become mob mentality. I wouldn't let Leah get caught up in that.

Together, the three of us sprinted from our back door. We ducked into the thick forests, running agilely through the copse of trees. When we were several hundred meters from the village, Leah and I paused to phase. Alice averted her eyes considerably, and we were off again. The vampire had no trouble keeping pace with us in wolf form, so we made haste, twisting a trail up the mountainside, while steering clear of the prominent tree line. We were ducking and dodging more than tree limbs and hanging vines. I looked up to the noticeably lighter shade of trees to the left of where we ran. The castle loomed in the far distance. I couldn't risk _them_ seeing us either.

We had to lay low for awhile. That's all. Then, the battle of the century would rage through these valleys and everything would change. I knew Alice was right. We either battle until their side falls for good, or the rest of the world reaps the terror of our loss. But I suddenly had purpose to myself. I would be the one to make sure it never happened anywhere else. I could make sure the monster at the top of this hill would die.

My trio ran to the west with intent. There was an old cabin there, and we could stay safe. My brothers could easily track us, but they'd be busier dealing with their sudden self imposed separation. They'd be sensing it for themselves at any moment. I wondered if they'd even realize it at first.

On the other hand, I was ecstatic. For the first time since my change, I could appreciate the silence of my mind. Leah's safe thoughts comforted as she reassured me of her love and accepted my views. Everything else was mine alone.

I was doing the right thing.


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Twilight.**

**(Last outtake!)  
**

**Jakob POV Part Three**

I sat on the corner of a rock, letting the fresh oxygen replenish my strained muscles. Leah flopped down next to me, catching her breath. We pushed ourselves hard from our village, and while Alice looked as refreshed as when we started, my wife and I had run low on steam. We were still human, after all, and as such, were at the mercies of our bodies.

Our vampire companion paced back and forth in front of us. I noticed she had a natural bounce to her step, but it was subdued, almost sad. Back and forth she walked, keeping her eyes averted into the trees. Her nervousness was evident.

"We need to make a plan," I told the women. We had to have a direction to proceed.

But Leah ignored me, watching Alice make two more passes in front of us.

"You're hungry," she said to little Alice, who paused and looked apologetically at us. "I packed us some snacks, but I imagine you wouldn't be satisfied with a bit of granola."

The vampire smiled. It was only a partial grin, the corners of her red lips curled up only slightly, but it was still there. "I don't want to impose," she said softly.

"Nonsense," Leah insisted with a casual wave. "Jakob and I need to rest and the cabin is just over the next rise. You have time to feed yourself."

Alice nodded. "I'll stay nearby," she whispered, and almost too fast for my enhanced senses to see, disappeared into the trees.

Leah and I sat in the silence, listening for the sounds of nature to commence. Things had an eerie way of hiding when a vampire was near. Instinctually, even the frogs and flies had enough sense to disappear when one of the undead was in the area. My own senses were on alert, listening, anticipating anything out of place, even in the pressing silence.

Leah shifted, but only to lean against the rock. I let my muscles unwind, settling lower into the ground. But I stayed diligently aware.

"I like her," Leah said softly. "I see something in her I never expected. It makes me rethink things."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like how many others are like her? Was that other female like Alice?"

Leah's eyes were closed. Her dark lashes wrapped around her lids like a soft blanket. Her skin glistened with perspiration. My hand reached toward her relaxed jaw. Slowly, I traced my finger down the length of her cheek. She opened her eyes a bit and smiled. She was the most beautiful creature alive. I sighed.

"I don't think anyone is like Alice," I joked, but with a husky edge to my voice and eyes still locked with hers. "But no. I don't think that female was anything like the Cullens."

There had been other vampires in the area recently. Though we had tracked two of them to the castle grounds, we didn't get a glimpse of the male. But the first one who'd come through this area had passed very close to the village. Leah, Seth and I had been on patrol that evening, and chased the female vampire until we could go no farther. We'd had a very good glimpse that one, with her long legs, dark hair, and blood red eyes. She'd dodged past us and gone straight for the castle. We hadn't caught her sight of her since.

Disbelief crossed her face as she sat up a bit. "But how do you know?"

"The eyes, woman. It's all in the eyes." I shot her one of my million ruble smiles.

My wife playfully punched my shoulder so I ducked in for a quick kiss, sealing my lips with hers. Soft and familiar, she let me linger for seconds longer than normal.

A slight breeze rustled the leaves around us, and I caught wind of something else. As quickly as I had relaxed, I was back into position, on my feet and looking everywhere for the source of the smell. Something unknown was creeping close by. It was unfamiliar, unknown, and therefore an immediate threat.

A low growl sounded through me, my arms beginning to tremble at my sides. Leah was next to me, staring into the forest with her dark exotic eyes wide and searching. Her hand rested lightly in the crook of my arm, holding me with her, but I could feel her tension quivering through her arm despite the calm touch.

A figure, light hair seeming dark in the shadows, stepped out only twenty meters away from us. My body crouched lower. The growling became snarls as bits of sunlight prismed from the surface of his exposed skin. An arm wrapped fiercely around Leah's waist holding her back. While just as capable as I was in a fight, she was my wife. I wouldn't be taking any chances with her.

"Who are you?" I growled through clenched teeth.

A sudden wave of anger washed over me. I felt it hit my skin, and infect my mind. It was almost too much and my body tried to hold off by trembling violently. Leah's grip on my arm tightened.

"Where is she?" the figure demanded taking a step closer, casting his face out of the shadows.

His eyes were black, raging, and his perfect white teeth were bared and sparkling with venom. What was most unnerving was his skin. The undead flesh that had glittered in the trace light moments ago, now revealed scarred and puckered flesh. A thousand teeth marks over every surface of his exposed body told me I was staring into the face of a warrior.

"Where is she?" he repeated, this time with rage in his tone and followed by the threat of his growl.

"Who?" asked Leah before I had the chance to let go and take him out.

There was a crack of a tree limb. The stranger's eyes moved away immediately, trying to see through the tangle of leaves and vines. It was the only opportunity I was going to get. I let the shudder tear through me, sounding like thunder in the air, and I burst free of my human confines, leaping forward.

Mouth open and ready for the taste of granite on my tongue, I was suddenly halted dead in my tracks. Alice stepped out from the area we'd heard the sound. With light, delicate steps, she danced to the man I was lunging toward. My paws hit the damp earth, and I dug my claws in as I watched her step in front of the strange man.

"You've kept me waiting," she whispered to him.

Her back was to me, and I knew she was physically incapable, but it sounded like she was choking on tears.

I saw the man smile a sad, weary smile, never taking his eyes off the little vampire.

"Sorry, ma'am," he said with a dip of his eyes.

Then, Alice threw her arms around him, lacing her fingers in the blonde waves at his neck, and kissed him long and deep. The anger that had rushed me earlier was absorbed by something else, and I turned my head sheepishly and backed toward my wife.

Leah met my eye with a stern look, then bent down and took a pair of shorts from the bag she'd been carrying. She shoved them into my mouth, muttering something about hypocrisy, and stood up. Alice and the stranger were otherwise still engaged, so I pushed with my humanity, rolling it through my body until my bones realigned, my muscles compacted and I took my natural form again. I easily slid into the shorts just as the couple broke apart.

They spent another moment just staring at each other, before Alice turned to face us. She looked nothing like the woman I had been seeing previously. Her face almost seemed to glow, with a smile so wide, it looked painful. Her eyes were bright, much lighter than before. She just seemed beautifully wispy, and more at ease, more complete than I'd had the pleasure of seeing her.

"Sorry about that," the man said, an impish grin settled into his own features. He hardly appeared to be the maniac of moments ago, either. "I just…er,"

He couldn't seem to find the words. Alice turned and patted his cheek lovingly.

"This is Jasper," she said, smile still in place. "This is my husband."

"Alice," I feigned shock, bringing my hand to my chest. "You didn't tell me you were married."

The tension so thick when this man had barged in on our rest now dissipated completely. I was immediately at ease with the situation.

Almost immediately, he asked, "Where's Carlisle?"

"I don't know," his wife answered.

Possibly detecting the pain of her admittance from her voice, Jasper's arms curled around her small shoulders. She didn't say anything right away. We fell silent, but together, began walking over the hill to where the cabin was situated in a natural alcove.

There was a small meadow with flowing knee length grass. It waved a bit in the breeze. Vegetation grew over the wooden cabin, the way it will if left unkempt. It smelled of molding timber and turned earth, but it was the only option for now. I still didn't think we'd be here long, anyway. The rest of Alice's coven was already arriving.

After the sun set, the moon rose bright and luminous in the velvet of night. We settled in and though I'd never admit my surprise that the vampires sat so close to it, we built a fire. It was apparent there was no time to spend on uselessness. We had to get down to the bottom of things before it was too late.

I looked over at the vampires through the crackling flames. Alice reclined between Jasper's long legs, resting her head against his chest, while he was propped up by a thick tree trunk. The tree was one of many of the older, larger ones in the entire valley. It had no bark, no branches, and was layered with ancient char, forever in its perpetual state of burning.

"They're up to something," Alice whispered, eyes unfocussed on the flames. "Stefan is simply mad, and Vlad, well, Vlad is scheming. I don't know how else to describe him. At first, we all wanted to think he was simply crazy, but now I'm not so sure. I don't know what they're up to, but it isn't good. And somehow they got Carlisle and Edward."

"How did you get away?" I asked her. Even if she didn't want to talk about what she encountered, it was necessary.

Alice sighed loudly. "We got back from meeting with you, Jakob," she began softly, "and Carlisle and I were discussing why my abilities had been blocked. Edward wandered off. Hours passed by and he didn't return. Carlisle specifically told me not to leave the bedroom, and he left, too."

Her breathing was quick, on the verge of hyperventilation. "They didn't come back." Wide eyes flashed with the flickering fire, like she was reliving those terrifying moments. "I waited and no one came."

When she paused in her memory, the only sound was the crackling fire and the crickets chirping in the forest. Everything else was silent. Even Leah and I held our breath, waiting for her to finish. Jasper's arms tightened their hold on his wife. A relaxing vibration echoed through me, and I saw Alice react to it, too, falling even further against her mate.

"I wondered," she began again, voice barely audible over the sound of nature around us. "I opened the door, knowing I shouldn't, knowing Carlisle told me to stay put, but I couldn't help myself." She tensed again as she spoke.

"I should have listened. The whole castle…it…it _smelled_ like them, like their venom. I don't know happened. I smelled them in the air and I ran. It took me days to find the pack, but I couldn't make myself go back. I couldn't face it again."

A scowl shot over Jasper's face. "No one will blame you for that. You did the right thing," he told her softly. "They'll understand." He took a deep breath before continuing.

"I spent the last few days with Vlad," he said.

Alice turned and glared. "You've been with Vlad? Where?"

Looking a bit uncomfortable, Jasper said, "He was on Montecristo when we went to hunt, and we took him back to Volterra with us."

"Where is he now?" Alice's voice was inching back to hysterical again.

Jasper didn't answer immediately. "I don't know," he finally admitted. "We lost him back in Volterra."

We could all see there was more to the story than what he was saying, but he couldn't ignore Alice's imploring eyes.

"Shit, Ali, everything went wrong. First, Vlad shows up on the island and Bella's acting all gaga for the guy. Like she can spend time with him and not want to jump his bones. Then we get back to Volterra, and even if Bella says there's nothing there but a string of weird memories, I know what I felt. It was too strong to deny. There is a definite connection between them."

"Between Bella and Vladimir Tepes?" Alice asked. "You're joking."

"I wish I were," he groaned. Jasper continued gravely, pushing his long blonde hair from his face. "That's not all,"

He didn't elaborate right away, even after I cleared my throat to provoke him. It wasn't until Alice turned all the way around to face him did he finally speak again.

"Esme." He choked on the name and I was immediately aware how important the woman was to him. When I saw the same look of terror pass through Alice, I knew she was special to both of them. It only me a moment to realize I'd heard the name before.

"Carlisle's wife?" I asked. Leah inched a bit closer, her fingers lacing through mine.

Jasper nodded, but stared into his wife's eyes. "I don't know what happened. I don't know if she's ok. We left her alone and…"

He seemed unable to continue, and leaned into Alice's chest, muffling silent grief for the matriarch of his family. Alice's thin arms wrapped around him and held them together tightly. They made me wish to grieve for their loss, though I didn't know more about the woman than her name. I did, however, know Carlisle and knowing what a miraculous soul he was, I knew she was like to be the same.

I turned and looked at Leah's eyes, shining with her own sadness. Her fingers clutched tighter to mine as she noticed me staring. Our grief was palpable.

But Jasper and Alice broke apart. He started speaking again.

"When I read your letter, I couldn't help but think something was wrong. I didn't hear from you in two weeks, and you write a letter to tell me you aren't coming home. That's really why I came, because I'm not sure of Bella's part in all this. Judging from her feelings, I'd say she knows more about things than she's letting on."

"That makes no sense, Jazz," Alice interrupted. "Bella wouldn't lie to you. Me, maybe, but not to you. Besides, she loves Edward. She does. Absolutely. I have no doubt they're meant to be together. You should know that better than anyone."

Jasper cocked a disbelieving eyebrow at her, so she went on without a pause.

"Vlad is nasty, Jasper. Trust me on that. Vlad and his creepy little brother are noxious. They're up to something. Bella has to be a pawn in all this. Have faith, baby. Please."

Jasper sighed, his shoulders slumped a bit. He stayed quiet.

I cleared my voice and they both looked at me. I saw how similarly dark the rings under their eyes were. Alice's eyes were lighter now, but the darkness in her mate's were edging in. He needed to feed. I made to stand up, pulling Leah up with me.

"I think you eat. I have a feeling we're at the last stand, here. When this blows, we all need to be at top performance." After I said it, I felt a bit sheepish. I was used to commanding my brothers. These were free willed beings. I couldn't tell them to do anything.

"Right," Jasper agreed. "When we get back, I'd like to discuss some of the avenues into the castle. We need to strategize before we get into this."

"We won't need to go far," Alice said turned and said to us.

They began to walk away, but had only taken a few steps when Alice spoke again to Jasper.

"What letter?" she asked him.

"Hmm?" came the mumbled answer.

"I didn't write a letter," she said.

Disbelief crossed Jasper's features. "You didn't write a letter saying you wanted more time to better research the pack?"

Alice shook her head. Black hair moved with the brisk action. "We wanted to come home," she told him. "That castle is horrible. The wolves were the only thing keeping us sane. It was almost like we were being kept prisoner there. And for some reason he'd let us come here, but otherwise, it was lockdown. And Carlisle and Edward didn't get out this time. Oh my god! They didn't make it out!"

Jasper stepped forward to embrace his wife. I turned to leave them to it. Leah trailed behind in muted strides. When we were farther away and I was sure the couple had gone into the night, I asked her, "What's wrong?"

After a few feet she said, "Will you think less of me if I told you I was scared?"

Surprised by her admittance? Yes, but I could never think less of the powerful woman I had at the end of my arm. I turned around and flashed a wide grin.

"A little," I joked, my smile in full force.

As expected, she punched my shoulder, hard enough to hurt. And, as expected, she smiled a bit in return.

For awhile, we lounged outside the cabin in the field of long grass. Leah laid her head on my chest. She once told me the sound of my heart sounded like a hummingbird. I, of course, thought she could have used something more manly to describe it, but she found it endearing for whatever reason. I just never brought it up again.

I think she could have been dozing, when Jasper stepped over the rise and into view. He had a long arm wrapped around his wife's waist and led her. She stumbled along behind, eyes vacant. Leah and I rushed to them.

"What happened?" I asked, fearing the worst, fearing we hadn't been able to keep her safe.

Alice groaned. Leah leaned into her other side to help her mate hold the girl steady. Alice raised her pale hand. I was close enough for it to land on my shoulder and her cool touch sent shivers from the point of contact. With her eyes still glossed, she raised her head so she was facing me.

"He's using us," she mumbled. "He's using our gifts."

"Vlad?" came Jasper's quick response.

Together, we were able to bend Alice to the ground, and each stayed close. She reluctantly pulled her hand away from me, but Jasper's arm remained firmly around her shoulders. Then, she began sobbing, her face falling into her hands.

"He's using us!" she wailed again.

I looked to Jasper. I had an inkling of what had happened, but needed him to confirm it. He was looking up a bit, as if thinking over her words. Making sense of nothing. Or it seemed nothing to me. But I knew she had seen something. A vision.

"What happened?" I asked again, my voice soft under her harsh tearless sadness.

Jasper's eyes turned back to me. My muscles relaxed instantly, and I noticed Leah and Alice slump a bit, too.

"Bella said something about that," Jasper whispered to Alice. "She thought he was using our powers. I didn't believe her, but…" he paused for a moment. "But it makes sense."

"I told you Bella wasn't involved with that freak," Alice chided. "But this makes it worse. If she goes in there alone, he'll have her power at his disposal. Then, what are we going to do?"

"What's Bella's power?" Leah asked.

Neither of them spoke for a long moment, but finally Alice did, with a scared look in her eye. "She has enough power to destroy this mountain. She is stronger than the normal vampire. With that at his disposal, Vlad will be unstoppable."

Jasper ran a hand down his face.

"What is it?" Alice asked him.

"Vlad's not after Bella's power. Well, he probably is, but that's not what this is about."

"What then?" I cried out. They seemed to piece things together, but they were forgetting that Leah and I still knew nothing. If they wanted help from us, then we had to start getting real answers.

Jasper didn't turn back to us. He spoke to Alice when he answered my question. "He's after her. It's all about getting to Bella. And what's he done already? Taken nearly every other person who could keep her from him." Jasper smacked himself on the forehead. "Oh my God. Why didn't we see this coming, Alice? What the hell is wrong with me? I left her completely alone!"

The little pixie ran her fingers through her mate's hair. "It's not your fault. I know what it can be like for you," she told him softly. "I should have seen this. I should have looked harder."

"No," Leah said forcefully, cutting into the pity party starting in front of us. "This isn't either of your faults. That man is a nightmare. No matter what's happened to get us to this point is irrelevant. We need to act before he gets what he wants. Something tells me, that having this Bella is the last thing we want to happen."

"Tell us what you saw, Alice," I said and she met my eyes.

She stared at me for a moment too long. "Bella's going to go inside. She's all alone, and she's going to be pushed to the edge."

"That doesn't really tell us anything," I mumbled.

"It tells us everything," Jasper cut in. "If he gets Bella, we're lost."

"And she's about to walk right into his arms," his wife whispered.

"I can't believe I walked away from her," Jasper cursed, then sent an apologetic glance at Alice. She just reached up and grasped his hand tightly.

We looked at each other in silence. A feeling of despair settled over us, weighing on us. The night seemed to become darker, like there would be no dawn.

"Vlad has been using my premonitions somehow," Alice finally said before looking toward Leah and me. "I could see when I got far enough away from both you and the castle, but I only saw enough to know one thing."

I was breathing heavily. That was the only sound I could hear for several seconds, until I gathered enough nerve to ask the final question. "What do you know?"

"When we get there, it'll already be too late."


End file.
